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(born 1949). Arguably the most powerful ruler in recent Pakistani history, Pakistani political leader Nawaz Sharif made headlines in early 1997 when he was elected prime minister by an overwhelming majority of his Pakistan Muslim League (PML) supporters in Parliament. Under Sharif’s leadership, Parliament passed constitutional reforms eliminating the Pakistani president’s authority to dissolve the government, a power which had previously removed Sharif from office and led to widespread political instability. Sharif’s election made him the head of Pakistan’s fourth civilian government since the restoration of democracy in 1988 following the death of military leader General Zia ul-Haq in an airplane crash. Sharif was faced with a country heavily in debt and a precarious coalition of supporters.